Safe Ground: Free Equine-Facilitated Healing Meetups for LGBTQIA+ Youth

We are proud (actually – SO flipping excited!) to announce that our project “Safe Ground” has been named a 2026-2027 Changemakers Project by It Gets Better, an organization dedicated to uplifting, empowering, and connecting LGBTQIA+ youth around the globe.

They have awarded us a $10,000 grant to create free and affirming equine-facilitated healing experiences for LGBTQIA+ youth ages 13-18 in rural Minnesota.

Holy moly, is this gonna be great!

Here’s a little video so you can learn more more about who we are and why this matters so much to us:

What this means for you:

Starting in October, we’ll be hosting monthly meetups at the farm where you can meet other kids who get you because they’re just like you.

On the second Saturday of each month, you’ll get to join us at the farm to eat lunch (first things first!), check in with your friends, make fun crafts, and hang out with the horses.

We’re committed to making this a safe space where you won’t be bullied or harassed, so you can relax, breathe…and just be you. We want you to feel seen, heard, and valued for exactly who you are.

If you or someone you know would like to sign up for the first free event on October 10th, see below.

What to expect at Safe Ground events:

At each event, we will have a unique craft activity (a different one at each event) – plus lunch!

We’ll do some activities with the horses to help address the anxiety and stress that comes from having to mask or fake it in social settings (like school) or having to constantly be on guard against potential harassment.

You’ll also have time to just hang out, get to know the horses, and spend some quiet, healing time with them.

The Impact of Safe Ground

We think it’s really great that we are able to support you and the broader LGBTQIA+ community in this way!

Our hope is that these experiences will help to reduce stigma, decrease depression and anxiety, and cut down the suicide rate for LGBTQIA+ teens.

When kids believe that a positive future for themselves is possible, the journey to build it becomes realistic. We think Safe Ground is a great place to start that journey. You’ll make friends with people just like you…friends who can be there to support each other as you grow.

This is how lifelong friendships begin.

Register for our first event on October 10th above.

Want to make sure you get reminders about each of the upcoming Safe Ground events?

This project was made possible with support from It Gets Better, a nonprofit organization working to uplift, empower, and connect LGBTQIA+ youth around the globe. Visit www.itgetsbetter.org.

https://itgetsbetter.org/changemakers